Operations

Vincentric Names Vehicles On 2013 'Best Fleet Value in America' List

April 24, 2013
• by Staff

Vincentric has announced its 2013 Best Fleet Value in America awards, where the company analyzed approximately 3,400 different vehicle configurations in 20 different lifecycle situations to figure out cost-effective vehicle choices for businesses. According to Vincentric, General Motors, Ford, and Toyota achieved the largest number of awards, with GM receiving nine, and Ford and Toyota receiving eight awards each.

Vincentric evaluated eight vehicle-related costs, including depreciation, financing, fuel costs, insurance, maintenance and repair costs, any vehicle fees and taxes, and opportunity costs. The company said it measured lifecycle costs in all 50 U.S. states and in D.C.

General Motors received awards for fleet value in the heavy-duty pickup and full-size van categories. Vincentric also recognized GM for its Buick brand in the premium vehicle category. For Ford, Vincentric recognized the automaker for a range of vehicles, including the F-150 and the company’s passenger cars. Vincentric recognized Toyota for its Tacoma pickup truck and for its hybrid and SUV/crossover models.

Vincentric added that other automakers with significant results on this year’s list include BMW, Chrysler Group, and Mercedes-Benz. The company recognized Chrysler for three of its vehicles, BMW for three models in the premium segment, and Mercedes for its Sprinter, which garnered three awards from Vincentric for the second consecutive year.

The charts below from Vincentric detail the 2013 Best Fleet Value in America winners in different vehicle categories:

Since fleet drivers spend most of their workdays on the road, they may feel more detached from their companies. Managers can help drivers feel more connected by offering opportunities for them to communicate their opinions, participate in company discussions, and take part in incentive programs.

The fleet procurement process, like most other aspects of fleet, is heavily dependent on the capabilities of modern-day technology. Online-based procurement systems help fleet and procurement professionals understand more about their operations so they can make impactful decisions.

With recent cannabis legalization, new commercial fleets are springing up to transport pounds of marijuana and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. Navigating wildfire growth, ever-changing regulations, and federal illegality, it’s a fast learning curve for these new cannabis entrepreneurs — the legal ones, anyway.

With a focus on providing last-mile logistics, autonomous vehicle startups like California-based AutoX and Udelv are deploying small fleets of self-driving vans and sedans to make the case for autonomous delivery.